Cristiano Ronaldo teased a sensational January transfer to Manchester City on Friday night.

City will look for reinforcements in the January window after a woeful run of one win in 13 games, sparked by an unprecedented injury crisis. Ahead of their Premier League trip to Leicester for the final game of 2024, City could have as many as nine players out with injury, and Pep Guardiola has acknowledged the need to find new players 'in the middle' next month.

And Ronaldo, who made over 200 appearances for rivals Manchester United over two spells and enjoyed a rivalry with Guardiola's great Barcelona team while in Spain, believes there is no doubt that City will recover from their slump.

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"Teams have moments," Ronaldo said at the Globe Soccer Awards. "Difficult times, good times... City are passing through a difficult moment but I'm 100 per cent sure they will be back.

"I think the big teams, the big players they are smart enough to understand what is the problem, where is the problem. I'm sure 100 percent they will be back. Guardiola is a very smart coach. He knows where the problem is coming from. They will be there like always."

Ronaldo risked annoying City by publicly stating that Rodri's recent Ballon d'Or win was 'unfair' on Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr.

"It was unfair, in my opinion," he said on stage. "I say here, in front of everybody. They gave it to Rodrigo. He deserved it too but I think they should have given it to Vinicius because he won the Champions League and scored in the final.

"The other issues, for me, is not important. When you deserve [it], you should give it to who deserves it. This is why I love Globe Soccer. They do an honest award."

And in a wide-ranging interview which also saw Ronaldo aim more digs at former club United, the Portugal international was asked if he would give City a 'helping hand' in the transfer market.

"You never know what is going to happen," he replied with a smile. When it was put to him that "that's not a no!", Ronaldo could only laugh - but didn't rule out any potential transfer.

Ronaldo was set to join City in 2021, but United got wind of the transfer and intervened to persuade him to return to Old Trafford for an ill-fated spell that ended with the forward giving an interview to Piers Morgan and criticising manager Erik Ten Hag.

The 39-year-old, who turns 40 in February, is reportedly on an astronomical £177m per year salary at Al Nassr, with his current deal expiring in the summer.